Is Steak Beef? Or Is It Another Type of Meat?

While steak is a common term used to describe beef cuts from cows, there is a distinct difference between both beef and steak. While beef comes from cows, steaks don’t always come from them. Stay tuned to find out if steak is beef, and the other types of animals it can come from.

Table of Contents

• What Type of Meat is Steak?
• Steak vs Beef
  • Steak
  • Beef
• Does Steak Only Come From Cows?
  • Is Steak From a Cow or a Bull?
  • What Part of The Cow Does Steak Come From?
• Are There Animals Without Steak?
  • Animals Without Sufficient Meat
  • Animals Without a Muscular Flesh Structure
  • Animals Whose Meat is Marketed As Something Else
• So, Is Steak Beef?
• FAQs

What Type of Meat is Steak?

Steaks are cut from animals like cattle, camels, goats, horses, kangaroo, sheep, ostrich, pigs, reindeer, turkey, deer, and all sorts of fish.

A steak is a thick cut of meat often sliced across muscle fibers and may include bone. It is often grilled or fried. But it can also be diced and cooked in sauces (like steak and kidney pie), or minced to form patties (for hamburgers or other meat dishes).

Steak vs Beef

Steak refers to a piece of beef that is cut across the grain of the muscle. When we think about steak we often imagine a thick cut of red meat. However, there are many different types of steak each with its own distinct features, depending on the type of meat they’re cut from.

Some of the differences are outlined below.

Steak

While steak is commonly beef, not all beef is steak.

Typically, beef steaks are a cut of beef that has been prepared by cutting across the grain of the cattle. There are many types of beef i.e., roasts, short ribs, ground chuck, or sirloin, but only some of them are classed as steak.

When you look at a beef steak, you should be able to identify some unique lines seen within the meat. These lines come from the grain of the muscle and create a wonderfully unique steak texture we all know and love.

Beef

Beef is a type of meat that is extracted from a large cow. It is often consumed in large quantities around the globe. That is, apart from certain parts of the world (such as India), where the cow is seen as a sacred animal.

Does Steak Only Come From Cows?

Although steak may refer to beef steaks, steaks do not only come from cows.

Simply put, a steak is a cut of meat that is sliced across the muscle of the animal. And this can be the case for any type of animal.

So you can have chicken steaks, pork steaks, tuna steaks, and so on.

Is Steak From a Cow or a Bull?

Beef steak is often obtained from castrated male beef cattle or from female beef cattle that have not given birth.

You won’t find many steaks from bulls, since bulls are more muscular compared to regular beef cattle.

What Part of The Cow Does Steak Come From?

The word steak is used to describe different cuts of beef, meaning that it doesn’t only come from one part of the cow. Different cuts of steak come from different sections of the cow, though the prime steak cuts include sirloin, tenderloin (fillet steaks), t-bone, rib eye, and rump steak. These come from the rear of the cow.

Skirt steaks and flank steaks come from the underside of the cow and aren’t actually considered steaks as they are typically cut in line with the grain of the meat, not across it.

These different types of steaks, though obtained from the same animal, have little in common with the other cuts of meat, apart from the fact that they all come from the same animal.

Here are some of the most popular steaks cut from different parts of beef.

Loin

The loin is primarily cut from the area around the cow’s spine. This part of the cow doesn’t get much exercise resulting in a more tender cut of steak.

The tenderloin is the leanest and most tender cut of steak, with a rich buttery texture. When cooked it carries a very mild flavor, which is why it’s best cooked over an open flame, to help tone down its robust flavors.

Sirloin steak also comes from the loin, but it’s not as soft as the tenderloin. Though it tastes good when grilled, thanks to its subtle beef flavor.

The t-bone is also cut from the loin but is normally cut from the area towards the lower front of the cow which is why it doesn’t include much of the juicy tenderloin.

Rib

Ribeye steak is the most popular type of steak found from the rib of the animal. The steak is cut very thick, with meat that is well-marbled throughout. This gives the meat a deliciously rich beef flavor.

Flank

The flank steak comes from the area around the cow’s belly. It is recognized by its thick grain and rectangular cut. This type of beef cut can be tough, especially if it’s not prepared correctly. Flank steak should be cooked to medium rare, then sliced against the grain for a juicy, tender bite.

Chuck

Most of the chuck is kept aside from ground beef. The meat is well-marbled and harbors a rich beef flavor, though there are a few steaks cut from this part of the animal. These include the chuck eye, the chuck roll, the cold top blade, and the teres major.

The teres major is super tender, though not as tender as the tenderloin, with delectable flavors and minimal fat.

Round

Round steaks are often divided into the top, bottom, and eye of the round. Top-round steaks can be used for a London broil while the bottom round is often kept for corned beef.

Moreover, the eye of the round makes incredible beef jerky.

Are There Animals Without Steak?

Since steak is a type of meat that is cut against the muscle of a fairly large animal i.e., cow, horse, sheep, etc, you can’t get a steak from any ordinary animal with a muscle structure that doesn’t permit a steak cut.

There are three types of animals that we normally don’t see steaks from.

Animals Without Sufficient Meat

Animals like rabbits, fish like mackerel and pollock, frogs, and squirrels are all types of animals that are eaten across the world, although they aren’t big enough to cut a steak from.

Rather, these animals are often filleted, or cooked and eaten off the bone.

Animals Without a Muscular Flesh Structure

Some animals don’t have sufficient flesh and muscle structure, so it’s almost impossible to create a steak from them. Crustaceans, octopuses, shellfish, crabs, lobsters, and insects are enjoyed around certain parts of the world, but the absence of flesh is what prevents them from creating steak.

Animals Whose Meat is Marketed As Something Else

Some animals are perfectly able to produce steak, while others aren’t even marketed as steak, even when they should be. For instance, sheep, deer, and pigs are often referred to as meat chops instead of steak, even when the meat is sliced across the grain.

So, Is Steak Beef?

While steak can be obtained from certain cuts of beef, it doesn’t only come from beef. In fact, steak can come from all sorts of animals, even fish!

FAQs